LAUSR

A new series of 1-acetyl-3-aryl thioureas (3f1–15) was synthesized by the reaction of acetyl isothiocyanate with a variety of suitably substituted aromatic anilines. The acetyl isothiocyanate was freshly prepared by reaction of corresonding acid chloride with potassium thiocyanate. The structural confirmation of all compounds was carried out by spectroscopic techniques and in case of 3a by X-ray diffraction study. The newly prepared compounds were subjected to computational studies and evaluated for their cholinesterase (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) inhibition studies. Except 3f9 and 3f15, all the derivatives were found as selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. Compound 3f2 (IC50 ± SEM = 1.99 ± 0.11 µM) was found to be the most potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase exhibited ≈11 times greater inhibitory potential than reference inhibitor i.e. neostigmine (IC50 ± SEM = 22.2 ± 3.2 µM). Compound 3f9 was found to be most potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor (IC50 ± SEM = 1.33 ± 0.11 µM), exhibiting ≈four times greater selectivity for butyrylcholinesterase over acetylcholinesterase. Molecular docking studies were carried out to determine the binding site interactions of these potent inhibitors with cholinesterases and also supported the experimental observations.